P&G Supporting and Increasing Recycling of Plastic Film Packaging

Polyethylene (PE) film packaging is a widely used component of countless packaging applications around the world, relied on for its performance and economic benefits. So when a major brand owner such as Procter and Gamble (P&G) commits to supporting PE film recycling, the packaging world takes notice. In May 2015, P&G became a member of the American Chemistry Council’s Flexible Film Recycling Group (FFRG), joining existing members such as Dow, ExxonMobil, Wegmans and Trex.

Last month, Greener Package sat down with P&G’s Research and Development Manager Steve Sikra to learn more about the company’s commitment to sustainability and why it joined FFRG. The resulting article, P&G puts focus on PE film recycling, reviews the company’s goal to double its use of post-consumer recycled material by 2020. P&G goals also include using 90 percent recyclable packaging by 2020 and reaching zero consumer and manufacturing landfill waste. “The FFRG is making use of the existing film reclamation infrastructure built around retail stores for collection,” Sikra told Greener Package. “With the FFRG, we hope to expand participation in film recycling via existing and new retail store take-back programs. Further, we look to partner with FFRG to expand film recycling beyond polyolefin films and store collection.”

The recycling of postconsumer plastic film rose 11 percent in 2013 to reach a reported 1.14 billion pounds, according to a recent national report. This marks the highest annual amount of plastic film collected for recycling, a category that includes product wraps, bags and commercial stretch film made primarily from PE, since reporting began in 2005.

“We’re extremely pleased to be working with P&G,” said Shari Jackson, director of FFRG. “National efforts to educate consumers about the recyclability of bags and wraps are already paying off, and having P&G on board will help extend our reach even further.”